The 58 members of UNESCO's Executive Board on 22 September designated Bulgaria's Irina Bokova as candidate for the position of Director-General, UNESCO reported on its website.

On 15 October, the nomination will be submitted to the approval of the General Conference of the organization's 193 Member States.

Once confirmed, she will be the first woman Director-General of UNESCO.

Bokova is Bulgaria's Ambassador to France and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO. A career diplomat and politician, she studied at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations and at the School of Public Affairs of the University of Maryland (USA).

She served as Deputy Foreign Minister (1995-97) and Foreign Minister (1996-97).

Eight other candidates contested the job of UNESCO Director-General.

Source: BTA